Overshoe.



PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

A. E. ROBERTS. OVERSHOE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 6, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18. 1906.

Application filed December 6 1905. Serial No. 290.546.

1b col/l w/mnt Hung concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. ROBERTS, residing at Norwalk, in thecounty of Huron and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Overshoes, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention in certain particulars, which will be apparent, resemblesthe overshoe which forms the subject-matter of Patent No. 756,156,granted to me August 11, 1903. The overshoe shown in that patent is onthe market, and when used upon a shoe for which it is made and to whichit is nicely fitted said overshoe is not open to criticism; but whensuch an overshoe is used upon any shoe except one to which it isespecially fitted it may be open to criticism for three reasons: first,it is apt to slip ofif; second, the shank part of the upper frequentlydoes not hug closely against the corresponding part of the shoe, and,third, the retaining-cord by eX- tending entirely around the uppersubjects to undesirable wear the u per of the shoe adjacent to thejoints of t e wearers foot on both sides thereof, especially if suchjoints are, as is not infrequent, enlarged or swollen.

The object of this invention is to provide an overshoe which, whileretaining many of the desirable characteristics of thepreviouslypatented overshoe, will not have the defects mentioned evenwhen used upon some other shoe than one to which it is especiallyfitted.

The invention consists of an overshoe having the characteristics shownin the drawings and hereinafter described, and pointed out definitely inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevaiton of one side of theovershoe. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the other side. Fig. 3 is a planview, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view across the overshoe.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the bottom, and B theupper, of the overshoe. The bottom of the overshoe includes the soleportion a, the shank portion 7), and the heel portion 0. The upperincludes the front portion (1, which is in the form of a rather narrowflange extending upward and normally at an inclination inward from themarginal edges of the sole, the heel portion 12 and the intermediateshank portion b, which parts are merged together to form a continuousupper all around the bottom.

This shank portion on each side is prolonged to form the instep-straps b6 To the ends of one of these straps a buckle C may be secured forengagement with. the other strap, whereby they may be buckled togetherover the instep of the shoe on which the shoe is to i be worn. It is ofcourse immaterial whether these straps be separably fastened togetherwhen on a shoe, as by the buckle shown, or whether they are fastenedtogether in some other manner. The pur ose of the straps is to go overthe instep of t e shoe and assist in holding the overshoe on, and anyconnection between the straps which enables them to serve this purposemay be provided in lieu of the buckle.

A cord D, preferably embedded in an indiarubber covering, is secured inthe sidebelow the front portion of the upper at such distance betweenthe sole and top edge of the upper that the resulting bead Will enterthe crease between the sole and upper of the shoe on which the overshoeis to be worn. This cord, however, begins on one side of the shoe justin front of the great joint in the foot of the wearerand extends fartherrearward on the outer side of the overshoe than on the inner side,because the Wearers joints, referred to, are so placed. E representsanother corcl which begins on each side just back of said joints andthen extends close to the front edges of the shank portion and strap andacross said strap and then around the heel into and across the strap onthe other side and then down said strap and shank portion, terminatingat a point just back of the I joint on that side of the shoe.

It will be seen that that part of the upper which is between the ends ofthe two cords is that part which is adjacent to the oints on the Wearersfoot. If these joints are enlarged, there is no cord or bead inside theovershoe to wear on the leather of the shoeupper, which is forcedoutward by said enlarged joint. The front cord furnishes the head forthe crease in the front part of the shoe, which prevents the front partof the overshoe hom dropping off. The straps b are strengthened by thecord and when they are buckled together draw the top of the heel portionforward and draw the shank portion upward, and therefore against theshoe, causing the rubber to hug the shoe closely, so as to substantiallyexclude water, and the overshoe is thereby held firmly upon the shoe.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A rubber overshoe Whose upperconsists of a low front portion, a high heel portion, and intermediateshank portions which are prolonged to form straps adapted to beconnected over the instep of the wearer, and provided with a claspingdevice for so connecting them, with a front cord embedded in the upperand extending around the toe from points in front of the points wherethe shank portions join the front portion of the upper, and another cordembedded in the upper and extending from points in the shank portionsthereof a short distance behind the rear ends of the front cord, up intothe straps and across the same and then around the heel portion near itstop edge.

2. A rubber overshoe, whose up er consists of a low front portion, ahigh eel portion, and intermediate shank portions which are upwardlyextended to form straps ad apted to be connected together over theinstep of the wearer, and a cord embedded in and passing around the heelpart of said upper, at or near its top, up over the instep in said strapand down such strap to a point in front of the shank of the upper.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

ALBERT E. ROBERTS.

Witnesses i E. B. GILcHRIs'r, E. L. THURSTON.

